Says Broadcast Media holds the key to national security
…Rallies Broadcasters to unlock Nigeria’s $25bn media economy
Chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria, (IBAN), Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, on Thursday outlined a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s broadcast industry, strengthening regulatory frameworks, and leveraging the sector’s economic potential.
Ramalan delivered the address at the association’s 2nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Abuja.
In his welcome remarks, the IBAN Boss expressed gratitude to the association’s members, regulators, stakeholders, and partners for their continued confidence in the association’s leadership. He reaffirmed IBAN’s commitment to building a more efficient and qualitative broadcast media ecosystem through collaboration, innovation, and stakeholder engagement.
Ramalan emphasised that IBAN, which commands 65 percent of Nigeria’s media market portfolio, holds significant capacity to unlock the country’s estimated $25 billion media economy. According to him, recent industry data highlights the sector’s substantial contributions to GDP, employment, international trade, and cultural export—alongside the potential to create an additional 2.7 million jobs by 2026.
However, he warned that regulatory and operational bottlenecks continue to impede the industry’s growth. He disclosed that the Minister of Information has approved a tripartite meeting involving IBAN, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to develop ministerial regulations that would support the survival of broadcast media organisations.
Ramalan also called for an urgent review of the National Broadcasting Code (6th Edition) to address emerging administrative and technological realities. He stressed the need for clarity on stakeholder responsibilities and transparency benchmarks ahead of the eventual drafting of the 7th Edition of the Code and the National Broadcasting Act.
Highlighting the difficult business environment confronting broadcasters, he argued that collaboration among media owners is now a strategic necessity. He urged industry players to use current challenges as an opportunity to reform business models and reclaim Nigeria’s media economy.
The IBAN chairman further announced plans to strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders—including the Presidency, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, NBC, ARCON, diplomatic missions, and major local and international media operators—to improve service delivery and drive sector-wide growth.
On national security, Ramalan affirmed that the independent broadcast media has a crucial role to play in combating insecurity and insurgency. He revealed that IBAN is preparing for a courtesy visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss the deployment of private broadcast platforms in promoting awareness, dialogue, and communication-based solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges.
This year’s AGM, themed: “Leveraging the Broadcasting Landscape to Safeguard Nigeria’s Information Sovereignty, Communications Infrastructure and Digital Security”, is expected to evolve into a strategic national action plan in the coming weeks.
Looking ahead, Ramalan announced that IBAN will partner with organisers of the Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Award (NBMA) to host the 2026 edition at the National Theatre, Lagos. The association will also convene the National Broadcasters Conference 2026 in Abuja, with hopes of hosting President Tinubu as Special Guest of Honour.
Ramalan thanked members for their continued support, urging them to contribute actively to the deliberations that will shape the future of Nigeria’s independent broadcasting sector.